Bowser of the City, Bowser of the Wild
by ZADRookie
Summary: BxP. Bowser & Peach. When Peach and Mario deal with King Bowser it's easy... he always follows the same pattern. But what if they found out that there is a "Koopa King" that is random and vicious?
1. Credits

_**Staff**_

**Planner**

ZADRookie

**History designer**

ZADRookie

**Writer**

ZADRookie

**Beta Reader**** (back in 2008) **

Razzi (ebtwisty9)

**Presented By**

ZADRookie

**Dedicated to**

Razzi (ebtwisty9)

MikariStar

Kaggerz

and

YOU! For reading this story…

**S****tory about the story:**

This story was written back in 2008. It was – and I believe is - my first Bowser & Peach story and I asked Razzi (via e-mail) to be my beta reader… she even mentioned I was going to post this story in one of her CoH A/N and promoted it; sadly, I own her an apology for not doing it back then. SORRY FOR FAILING YOU, RAZZI!

My PC crashed and I had to format it, along with all the information stored in it (and no, I didn't got a back up for my files then). As time went by, I realized I wasn't able to rewrite the story over and I didn't want to try to make a guess if I tried to write it from what I still remembered from it (let's say that, sometimes, the remakes are not that good). A long time passed after that and then I just simply forgot since I wasn't going to be able to recover the original story… later, I left FF . net and I came back just recently with a second ZADR story.

While writing that ZADR story my unconscious suddenly remembered – in a very foggy way - that I had e-mailed the story to Razzi and that an "outbox" copy could still be there somewhere… and here it is! I still kept that mail I sent to her and just now (Jun. 17, 2011 at exactly 10:16:27pm) decided to beta read it myself again to post it right now.

After all… I own it to Razzi. She and the others were my inspiration for this story and for that, I'm glad. So… if you find typo errors, grammar or any other kind of errors, they are mine.

And now, without further ado: Enjoy!


	2. Intro

Disclaimers: Bowser & Peach are Nintendo property along with all the Mario Bros. characters of the saga. All rights reserved, etc.

All I could have said about this story was written in the "Credit" section.

_'Italics'_ are thoughts.

**X X X X X X X X X X**

**Intro**

Princess Peach was taking a walk through Forest Maze with her favorite plumber, Mario. They always took that walk once in a while, mostly on Suntoadays. They were laughing and talking without a worry in the world when a rustle in some nearby bushes made them stop.

"What was that?", asked Peach.

"It-a came from-a the bushes over-a there", pointed Mario, with his Italian accent. The bushes rustled again.

"Maybe it's a wounded animal", said Peach and started to walk toward the bushes, "poor thing".

"Or-a maybe is-a Bowser trying-a to ambush us", replied Mario and stood in front of Peach to stop her without taking his eyes from the bushes.

Peach stopped and tilted her head at the mention of Bowser, they hadn't seen him in a while and she couldn't stop wandering why she felt kind of sad without him around. The bushes rustled more frantically and a little white rabbit hopped out from them.

"It's just a rabbit", said Peach letting go a sigh; she didn't even realized she had hold her breath expecting the unexpected.

"Yeah", replied Mario, "silly rabbit-a, you-a scared us little-a guy".

The rabbit looked at them before something bigger and bulkier jumped from the bushes and tackled Mario; Peach gasped in surprise. Mario felt the air of his lungs knocked out due to the tackle with an _ouff_. He saw a blur of yellowish-orange and green. He felt his back hit the trunk of a tree, he yelped.

"… Bowser?", he said in a hoarse voice. He felt a clawed hand on his throat and a feral chuckle in front of him. 'This-a cannot be-a Bowser, he isn't-a so aggressive when-a trying to-a kidnap-a Peach', Mario thought.

"Let him go! Let him go!", ordered Peach and started to hit the shell with her pink umbrella, "you are choking him. Let him go!"

She heard an annoyed growl and then the spiked shell turned around to throw Mario high into the sky in a parabolic line. She followed Mario's fly with her gaze and started to run away from their attacker. She could feel the ground rumble from her pursuer's steps.

**X X X X X X X X X X**

Thank you for reading!

A/N: No need for reviews unless you feel like doing so.


	3. Ch 1 Look! It's raining plumbers!

Disclaimers: Bowser & Peach are Nintendo property along with all the Mario Bros. characters of the saga. All rights reserved, etc.

All I could have said about this story was written in the "Credit" section.

_'Italics'_ are thoughts. **_Italic_** is the "talking puppet"

**X X X X X X X X X X**

**Ch 1. Look! It's raining plumbers!**

Bowser was in his battle room practicing against some dummy dolls that looked like Mario. He was punching and kicking with all his might… he even made a tail attack against 3 dolls that came from behind and he sent them flying back to smash them against the rock wall.

"BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA… that'll teach you good-for-nothing plumber", he laughed heartily. A doll popped up from behind with a _woosh_ and Bowser swirled with his claws up to smash the dummy to smithereens. He stopped…

"Oh, princess… I didn't expected you to be here to thank me for taking care of that noisy plumber", he said with his gentlest voice and lifted the hand of a very same replica of Peach… too bad this one wasn't the _Peach_ Bowser wanted to be with.

**_Oh, Bowser you have been so brave fighting that horrible little man like that_**, said the puppet. Of course, Bowser was trying to mimic his beloved princess voice… and failing fatally.

"Oh, you don't need to thank me, Princess Peach", he said and lifted his chest proudly as if talking to the real one, "I just did what any koopa would have done for you".

**_But Bowser!_**, the puppet replied thanks to him in a very manly voice… no matter how hard he tried to improve it, **_I cannot let you go without a reward_**.

"I need no reward, my lovely princess!", Bowser said and smirked… he really wished Peach could tell him all the things he wanted to hear, "I'm your faithful servant". He turned his back against the dummy as if to walk away.

**_Oh, please, don't leave!_**, Peach-puppet said and threw her arms around Bowser's arm - of course, Bowser moved the puppet to do that, too-, **_Let me thank you with a kiss!_**

"With a kiss?", he asked as if in disbelief and turned his face over his shoulder to the dummy… he really wished Peach would tell him that.

**_Yes… a kiss_**, replied the dummy-princess in her raspy voice, **_and maybe something more_**.

"Oh, well…", Bowser said, "If you insist…"

He leaned over the dummy to kiss it. '_I wish this was true_', he thought, sadly, and closed his eyes… maybe, just maybe, the dummy would really become Peach and they would be happy for ever…

**KABOOM!** Something came crashing from the roof into the battle room, leaving debris and rubbish, and falling over the _romantic couple_ that was just trying to kiss each other.

"Ough!", grunted Bowser and shook his head, "Did someone saw the chomp-chomp that smashed me?". He looked to the spot where the Peach-puppet was and his eyes grew larger than his head… Mario had fallen on it, smashing it into nothingness!

"HOW DARE YOU TO ATTACK BY SURPRISE?", Bowser bellowed while standing, making all the rubbish fall from his shell, "THAT IS SO LOW, SO EVIL… I'M THE ONLY ONE ALLOWED TO DO THAT TO YOU!".

But Mario didn't move. Even though Bowser was ready to spit a whip of fire from his mouth, Mario didn't move an inch. That made Bowser wonders: how in Mushroom Kingdom had Mario come if he hadn't kidnapped the princess… yet. The Koopa King walked cautiously toward his foe, who was still lying in the debris and over his precious Peach-puppet. '_Maybe he wants me to believe he is helpless to caught me by surprise_', Bowser thought. He stood right in front of the plumber and Mario didn't move.

"Hey, you! Wake up!", the Koopa King said and kicked Mario just a little to move him and wake him up, "don't mess with me. I'm not in the mood". Nothing.

"Err…", Bowser kneeled by Mario's side and rolled him to make his face look up, "… c'mon! I'm not playing!". He saw Mario's forehead bleeding. "That really hurted, eh?". He touched the plumber's head and he flinched with an "oowww". Mario opened his eyes weakly and looked at the yellowish-orange and green blurry that was in front of him, some blood ran into his eye and he closed it, keeping the other open and muttered: _s-s-stay a-a-away from t-t-the prin-n-n-cess-s-s_. He fell into unconsciousness again.

"Who?", asked Bowser and shook Mario by his shoulders, "Who must stay away from the princess?"

The plumber was lax; his body and head swinging back and forth wile Bowser shook him to make him speak again. Nothing.

"KAMEEEEEKKK!", Bowser roared at the top of his lungs. His wizard and counselor appeared in a flashing cloud.

"Did you calle…", Kamek sentence died in his mouth when he saw the battle room's roof partially destroyed and the too-well-known plumber in his King's claws.

"Take him to the medical bay of Volcano Palace and tell me when he is awake to be able to talk. Bring Ludwig here and tell him to bring all the stuff he needs to guess the trajectory of an object. And do not let the plumber die or I'll make a carpet with your ugly skin, understood?", said the Koopa King looking at his counselor with an unexpressive face.

"Y-y-yes, you evilness", said Kamek and made a reverence to his king, "I'll do as you command".

"Then move!", said Bowser and, from where he was standing, threw Mario's body into the wizard's arms, "NOW!"

Kamek nodded and disappeared in the same sparking cloud he had come in. A few moments later, Ludwig came into the room with his devices and looked at his father.

"Did you called, Father?", he asked.

"Yes", replied Bowser, "I want to know the starting point of a body that has fallen… here". Bowser stood aside and looked at his precious puppet that laid broken where Mario landed. "And entered through the roof", he pointed at the ceiling.

"I'll work on that immediately, father", said Ludwig and started to arrange his measuring devices. He had a tripod that seemed to have a compass at the top and he placed it right in the place where the destroyed puppet was; he looked up and whistled.

"Whatever came from out there was thrown with a lot of strength", he stated.

"I want you to bring me your complete report to the Throne Room in 30 minutes", said Bowser, he was in a hurry but he didn't want to take his frustration out on his son. He started to walk out of the destroyed room.

"I'll have it in less time", replied Ludwig looking through a telescope that had some kind of arched rule above its length, "I'm a genius after all, father. Do not worry".

"I'm not worried", said Bowser looking at his offspring and lifting a hairy brow.

"When Kamek is worried…", said Ludwig looking from the corner of his eye to his father and letting the words drift in the room.

"Make it haste…", replied Bowser and he let out a puff of smoke from his nostrils. He left toward the medical bay.

"I will, father", replied Ludwig and kept working and noting all his findings, "I will…".

Peach ran for as long as she remembered since the _thing_ had attacked Mario. '_It cannot be Bowser_', she kept saying in her mind, '_Bowser isn't as vicious as this thing is. If it gets me…_'. She shuddered, just thinking about her destiny if the beast caught her, said thought was the one that kept her running but her feet and legs were hurting for all the fatigue. She saw a river with a waterfall and made a last run toward it. Most of the waterfalls in Mushroom Kingdom had caves behind the water curtain… she hoped this one was one of them. The princess opened her umbrella and crossed the waterfall without getting her outfit wet.

"Oh, gosh!", she muttered, disappointed that there was no cave behind the waterfall, just a little alcove with enough space to sit, "well, it's better than running from that beast, maybe I'll lose it this way".

She sat and took her heels off to let her feet rest from the journey. '_I hope Mario is ok wherever he is_', she thought, '_he'll find me… I guess_'. She sighed; relieved of being able to rest and waited… maybe if she remained quiet enough the beast would get bored and she'd be able to go to Mushroom Castle to request help to find Mario.

She didn't realize she fell asleep… and something was watching her from afar.

Bowser had returned from the medical bay without answers of Mario flying trip and now was clawing the armrest of his carved throne in the Throne Room when Ludwig came in. His son had a piece of paper in his claw and he stood in front of his father making a courteous bow.

"Your majesty", said Ludwig, "I have the report of the assault that took place in your battle room". He lifted his head to look at his father. Bowser nodded, urging him to continue.

"I'll not waste your time with technicalities", Ludwig went on, "The plumber came crashing from Forest Maze to an unbelievable speed, caused for an equally unbelievable strength".

**X X X X X X X X X X**

Thank you for reading!

A/N: No need for reviews unless you feel like doing so.


	4. Ch 2 The Beauty & The Beast

Disclaimers: Bowser & Peach are Nintendo property along with all the Mario Bros. characters of the saga. All rights reserved, etc.

All I could have said about this story was written in the "Credit" section.

_'Italics'_ are thoughts.

**X X X X X X X X X X**

**Ch 2. The Beauty & The Beast**

"Forest Maze?", said Boswer lifting a brow, "it's very far from here".

"Indeed, your highness", nodded Ludwig, "however, I made some tests regarding what kind of creature can be capable of such deed and…", he got close to his father and lend him the paper he had in his hand. "You might find this disturbingly interesting".

Ludwig left, leaving his father alone with his report. Bowser read it and almost instantly let it fall on the floor. He ran to the medical bay again…

At first, she thought it was her stomach rumbling but as the rumble got louder and louder she had to admit that it wasn't the sound of a hungry stomach. She opened her eyes and let out a surprised gasp. A pair of yellow eyes were looking at her through the waterfall curtain. '_Oh, no! It found me!_', her mind spat in fear. She remained still and gulped. If the creature was just trying to find her she wasn't going to give away her hiding spot. But if it had already found her… she rather not think of what could happen.

The beast outside seemed to drink water from the waterfall and then it left. Peach waited for a brief moment before letting a relieved sigh escape her lips. '_Maybe this is my chance_', she thought, '_It's now or never_'. The princess carefully stood up from her alcove and stretched slowly to avoid any noise that could carry the creature back to the waterfall. She looked outside from one of the waterfall sides and saw nothing.

'_Coast clear_', her mind reassured her and she stood out. She blinked some, and rubbed her eyes. She had slept for a while and it was evening, the sun was descending to be replaced for the moon. '_I have to try and go back to the castle before night or I'll definitely will get lost in Forest Maze_', she mentally reminded herself. Peach looked around one last time, she put her heels on, and started to walk from the direction she came.

A bush with yellow dots rustled and then they disappeared…

"HOW DARE YOU TO SAY HE IS NOT IN CONDITION TO SPEAK!", the loud roar of Bowser was heard through all the medical bay, "HE IS ALREADY AWAKE, ISN'T HE?".

"Yes, your evilness", replied a terrified koopa nurse, "but he is not completely conscious as to tell you something useful".

"The heck he isn't…", the Koopa King said and made the nurse aside going into the medical chamber. He puffed sparks from his mouth. Bowser looked the bed where Mario was placed to recover from his injuries, since Bowser place had no mushrooms that could help the plumber to heal faster, he had sent some koopa tropas to find a few… but they hadn't returned yet. So Mario had to hold onto the bandages that covered his head, arms, chest, stomach, and legs.

"Hey, you! Good for nothing plumber!", said Bowser making his voice sound as menacing as possible, "You better tell me what happened to you".

The silence was so intense that he thought he would not get any better answers than in his last visit to Mario, but…

"What-a… have-a… you… done-a… with-a… the princess?", replied the plumber in a hoarse and crackled voice; it was plain to see that the slightest action was hurtful in his state but he turned his head toward Bowser's, "you betta… have-a… not hurt-a… her".

"You are talking nonsense, plumber!", growled Bowser and gave thunderous steps toward the edge of Mario's bed, "My dear princess isn't here. So, tell me, where is she?"

"You… ambushed us… on the… forest-a", said Mario and closed his eyes, "… you-a… threw me… away… and…".

"AND WHAT?… WHAT?", roared the Kopa King and clenched his claws into fists when Mario took too long to answer. He didn't want the plumber to fall asleep before telling him what happened with Peach.

"… you-a… looked… different-a", Mario answered in a whisper.

'_Diferent?_', thought Bowser. "Different in which way?", asked the Koopa King and leaned closer to the plumber to hear him better.

"You… tinted-a… yourself-a…", said Mario in a hoarse whisper, "Blue… mane-a… yellow-a… shell…white-a… spikes… black… claws… no… chockers".

Bowser remained quiet trying to imagine himself in such colors… definitely something was wrong. Oh, so very wrong. He almost lost Mario's last tired sentence.

"Now… that-a… I… think of… it-a. That-a… wasn't you… was… it-a?", he said but couldn't turn his head to look at Bowser. He fell in the black void of unconsciousness again.

"Oh, no! Peach!", Bowser whispered and ran out of the medical bay. He arrived to his hangar and jumped into his faithful Clowncopter.

"OPEN THE GATES!", he roared and a pair of koopa tropas stared to turn the heavy wheel that moved the chains to open the hangar's gates. Everything was so slow for the Koopa Kings in those moments when he wished more than anything to move at the speed of light. He tapped his claws in the metallic surface of his flying machine.

'_C'mon! C'mon!_", he mentally hurried his servants, '_Every second I remain here Peach could be…_'. He shook his head, he didn't really wanted to think on what could be of his beloved Peach if a creature with _his_ strength placed a paw on her.

Princess Peach looked up at the evening sky that was letting room for the moon and the stars little by little. She could feel her heart pounding on her chest and every little noise startled her and made her hunch and wait; she knew she was lost in the Maze but she didn't dare to stop, the thought of whatever it was that attacked her and Mario in her morning walk didn't let her relax and wait for the light of the next day.

_Gggrrrrr…_

Peach yelped and immediately placed both of her hands over her lips. '_Oh, no! I hope I wasn't too obvious_', she begged silently.

GGGrrrrr…

The princess felt her knees weak as if she were to crumble right in her spot and wouldn't walk anymore. She looked left and right, looking for the owner of those growls, and realized the trees weren't as clamped as they were before and she could even see the moon in the sky perfectly big and round: she was in the clear.

'_Oh, Dear! I'm very visible from here. If that beast is following me… I have nowhere to hide!_', she thought. She looked back, since it seemed she hadn't walk to far from the original path of trees and started to walk rapidly into the safety of the forest… but she froze when a bulkier silhouette walked out from that same path. It made Peach think of a giant turtle… until the full moon shed some light on it.

'_How could a beast so big walk so cat-like, so soundless_', she thought and started to retreat without giving the back to the monster. '_It looks like Bowser… but he isn't Bowser! Oh, God! Somebody help me!_'

The beast that was walking so stubbornly toward Peach looked liked a wilder version of the Koopa King with just minimum differences: it had a very untamed, long, and blue mane, it's shell was yellow with white spikes, and its claws were black; it even had longer fangs than Bowser.

Peach could have sworn the beast was chuckling and then it sprang and ran toward her just like it had done with Mario. Thankfully, Peach jumped to the side and then started to run in the opposite direction of the monster.

"HELP! HELP!", started to scream the princess not able to keep her cool anymore, "Somebody… help… me". Tears started to roll down her cheeks.

The wild koopa roared and Peach swore she could hear him chuckle again; it turned around to follow the princess after she had dodged him, since he had more advantage running at four legs. Peach looked over her shoulder to watch the monster's next move and she tripped, falling hard on her stomach.

"Ough!", she groaned and looked up. The shadow of the wild koopa was looming over her and she knew it was over…

**X X X X X X X X X X**

Thank you for reading!

A/N: No need for reviews unless you feel like doing so.


	5. Ch 3 Maybe something more

Disclaimers: Bowser & Peach are Nintendo property along with all the Mario Bros. characters of the saga. All rights reserved, etc.

All I could have said about this story was written in the "Credit" section.

_'Italics'_ are thoughts.

**X X X X X X X X X X**

**Ch 3. Maybe something more...**

"PEEEEEAAACCCHHH!"… A rumble and someone screaming her name was heard above her head and the shadow was pushed back - there was the sound of wood cracking and trees falling - but they were replaced by another one… a more familiar one. A crash was heard closer, too.

"Bowser…", Peach sighed relieved. The Koopa King looked over his shoulder to the fallen princess and smiled a toothy smile.

"I have invited you politely to my castle several times but it seem you like'em wild, don't you?", he said mockingly to her. He was so glad she was safe.

"Bowser!", she yelped and blushed.

"I'm kidding", he replied, "I'm glad you are OK. But now, let me take care of this scum". Bowser's sight got harder and he looked at his rival that was coming out from below the fallen trees he had smash into. It didn't look happy.

"Dear Peach…", Bowser said not looking at her, "…I suggest you to go to a safe place until this battle is over".

Peach stood up and nodded. "Be careful, Bowser", she said and ran into the woods. She found cover behind a big rock that was not too far but at a safe distance to watch the clash of the titans.

The wild koopa walked slowly inside the clear area of the forest and looked at this new rival. It stood in his hind legs; Peach gasped, the wild koopa was 2 or 3 inches taller than Bowser, not big deal but still…

The wild koopa growled something at Bowser and The Koopa King growled back at him.

'_Are they…_', thought Peach, _'… talking?_'

They were exchanging growls for just a couple of minutes and then the wild koopa laughed mockingly and Bowser frowned angrily. The wild koopa snorted at Bowser and charged against him, this time he was running two legged but it seemed he wasn't that skilled. Bowser also ran toward him and both clashed their claws, entangling their fingers into the other's grip and started to push each other with all their strength.

Bowser growled fiercely and he lifted his adversary and threw him behind him making it fall over his shell into the ground. The spikes of the wild koopa got buried in the earth and it grunted and growled to try to set free. Bowser looked at it and laughed evilly, he even leaned into the others' personal space to boast in his face… which was a very bad idea because the wild koopa took that to its advantage and spat his fire breath. Bowser roared in pain and lifted his hands to his face, he stumbled backwards. That gave the wild koopa time to unbury himself and - looking at Bowser in such helpless state - it went back to his four legged style and charged against him… at the last moment it jumped to leap over Bowser.

"Bowser!", Peach yelled, "Front and up!"

Bowser heard the princess advice and he ducked-rolled his opponent leap. He managed to stand up after rolling. The wild koopa made the ground shake when it fell in its four legs and turned around to attack Bowser again. It started to circle Bowser as if to measuring him. Bowser was still half-blind and was trying to hear his foe… without success. Bowser was moving his head left and right as if he were disoriented and confused. The wild koopa took it as a chance to attack Bowser's stomach, which had softer scales than the rest of the body.

"Bowser!", Peach guided him again, "Stomach!"

Bowser roared and turned faster than Peach had seen him move ever with Mario to tail whip the face of the wild koopa with it. The tail lashed hard against the koopa face and threw him to the side. Bowser opened his eyes and this time he was wise enough to place his foot over his rival's neck and he leaned with his jaws open ready to throw his famous Fire Breath, his nostrils were already smoking. The wild koopa looked at Bowser's and it remained still, closing his eyes and waiting for the imminent end… but it didn't arrived and the wild koopa opened its eyes again. Bowser had already closed his mouth and removed his foot from his defeated rival, he growled-purred something to his wild cousin and it went into the woods without looking back.

Peach sighed and walked from behind the rock into the clear patch were Bowser stood triumphantly.

"Oh, Bowser you have been so brave fighting for me like that_"_, Peach said, she stopped a few steps away from Bowser.

"Oh, you don't need to thank me, Princess Peach", he said and lifted his chest proudly, "I just did what any koopa would have done for you".

"But Bowser…", Peach said… '_Oh, God!_', thought Bowser, '_this is like my dream come true_'. He started to lean to the princess.

"How did you know I was in trouble? How did you know where to find me?", she said and smiled some when she saw the Koopa King leaning with fish lips. She stepped back a bit.

"I need no reward, my lovely princess!", Bowser said… and realized Peach hadn't gone along with the scrip he had played in his mind. He cleared his throat, awkwardly, and rubbed the back of his head, "I mean… a certain plumber fell crashing into Volcano Palace"

"Oh, Mario!", Peach said. It looked like that was the first time she had thought of him since Bowser arrival, "Is he ok? Is he alive?"

For a moment Bowser thought on telling Peach that Mario had passed away and his last will had been for her to marry him, but he knew she wasn't going to buy the story. He sighed.

"Yes, he is fine", he started, "Volcano Palace is not known for growing mushrooms but the koopa nurses are doing their best to take care of his wounds"

"Can we go there?", Peach said bluntly.

"You want to go? By your own free will?", the Koopa King tried to hide a pleased smile… without success.

"Of course!", Peach nodded, "we can take plenty of mushrooms from here, Forest Maze is full with them. We'll heal Mario in no time".

"Oh, yes…", said Bowser and his face almost fell to the floor, "… yes… of course… mushrooms. I'll help you pick'em up".

"Thanks… Bowser", Peach smiled and it made Bowser's heart feel a little bit better.

A pair of light steps could be heard followed by a pair of heavy steps. The Princess and the Koopa King arrived into the medical bay of the Volcano Palace. All the koopa nurses looked at them and greeted Peach warmly. When Peach asked for the plumber the koopa nurses seemed unsure of what to say to her, but when Bowser nodded his approval two of them guided her to Mario's bed. The plumber was awake at that moment and he smiled some when he saw Peach.

"Princess… are you-a ok?", he frowned when he saw Bowser loom from behind Peach, "has-a Bowser done something to-a you?"

"No, no. I'm fine, Mario", she said and looked at Bowser that was not so happy to see Mario better than last time. While he had traveled with Peach on the Clowncopter he had wished with his entire mind, heart, and soul that the koopa nurses would tell him that Mario had died in his absence… but it didn't happened. Peach's voice brought him back to reality.

"Bowser actually saved me from our attacker", she smiled at the Koopa King and then looked back to the plumber, "he also helped me to bring some mushrooms for you to recover faster, and he is going to let me stay until you can leave the medical bay".

"Oh…", Mario muttered and looked at Bowser as if all Peach had said wasn't exactly true. But he knew that he owed Bowser his life, if the Koopa King had choose to finish him off when he was deadly hurt he had done it without thinking it twice, "… I see… thank you, Bowser".

"Don't thank me, plumber", Bowser voice rumbled menacing, "I just saved your life because I'm going to be the one destroying you… no some puny wild replica of this majestic koopa". He posed showing his biceps and body muscles.

Peach giggled some and looked at both of them. "Enough you two…", she said and placed a gloved hand in Mario's forehead, "… you better rest Mario, the koopa nurses were given instructions to give you one mushroom before you go to sleep tonight and another one in the morning. We'll see if that is enough or if you need some more, ok?"

Mario nodded and he closed his eyes for another of his resting naps. Peach left a bag with mushrooms in one of the nurse's hands and told her the same. She left the medical bay followed by Bowser who was more than happy to have her in Volcano Palace.

"Well…", Bowser said and left the unfinished sentence hang in the air.

"Well…", replied Peach and looked at him.

"… he's fine", the Koopa King tried to be as casual as possible, "the koopa nurses will take care of him, no need for you to stay confined in the medical bay with him".

"I know", she nodded, "but he'll worry if he doesn't see me around to make sure you don't have me trapped somewhere in the castle. That'll not help to his recovery".

Bowser didn't replied to that but he agreed with Peach, if Mario was not sure that she was safe, he could never recover and even though he wanted Peach to stay, Mario was an unwanted guest. They walked until they reached Peach's guest room.

"Well…", Bowser started again.

"Well…", Peach replied again and she giggled.

"… this is going to be your room", Bowser said. He didn't want to leave Peach yet, but he couldn't think about something he could say to hang with her longer.

"… I see", she smiled and looked up to Bowser, "did you intentionally choose the farthest guest room from the medical bay or this is not your doing?"

"Ehm…", the Koopa King stammered a moment, he had thought it was the best way to discourage Peach of going to visit Mario to the medical bay, but Peach was very clever even if she didn't let most of the people see that part of herself, "… no… I didn't. Ehm… rest well, Princess".

He turned his back to walk away.

"Oh, please, don't leave!", Peach said when Bowser turned, "I cannot let you go without a reward…".

"I need no reward, my lovely princess!", Bowser said, turned around and smirked, "I'm your faithful servant".

"Then… let me thank you with a kiss", Peach whispered and she lifted her head to face the Koopa King, she tilted it some, smiling a bit.

"With a kiss?", he asked as if in disbelief and leaned toward his princess. '_Oh, God!_', his heart raced like a mad horse, '_is this real or another of my fantasies?_'.

"Yes… a kiss", replied Peach and a Cheshire's cat smile lighted her lips, "and maybe something more".

"Oh, well…", Bowser said, "If you insist…"

He leaned over to kiss the Princess.

"_Maybe, just maybe, Peach and I could be happy for ever…"_

**THE END**

**X X X X X X X X X X**

Thank you for reading!

A/N: In this case, since the story is completed, feedback is highly appreciated to improve future stories... so, take your time. Thanks!


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